Kara Swisher and I were both speakers at the Better Homes & Gardens conference earlier this year in Las Vegas.  It was wonderful to see her in action again at this dot429 event.  When she is not keeping Eric Schmidt, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates et al  in check, she runs All Things Digital.  You see, when Kara talks, people listen.

Her speech last night was sooo on point! The big players in the tech world are predominantly "older white straight men". As a proud & out lesbian woman, she is a rarity, especially given her ginormous public persona. "Basically it's a sausage factory!" (Her words, not mine!). 

I commiserated with her afterwards that it was the same in the real estate upper echelon. As a proud & out gaysian who wears his heart (and mouth?) on his sleeve,  I know for a fact I've been blackballed in some quarters. I asked her how she deals with any backlash for her brash critiques & brutal honesty about the insular tech world. DON'T BACK DOWN.

Glad we're on the same page, Kara!  Thanks for paving the way!

Here's my video for WORKopen, a collaboration between dot429 and Saks 5th Ave, to encourage people to come out at work.

dot429 & Saks Fifth Avenue have launched workOPEN, a new campaign designed to celebrate members of the LGBTQ community who are out & proud at work. I'm happy to lend my face & my signature dose of Hermanity to this cause. I'm all about being true to yourself, not just in personal life but in professional life as well. For us working gals, our careers define us. So come out come out where ever you...work!